The Bayan Obo iron mine in Baotou Province in inner Mongolia is the center of the nation's rare-earth production. Rare earths have been discovered in 21 of China's provinces and are also being mined in Fujian, Guangdong, Guangxi, Hunan, Jiangxi, Shangdong and Sichuan provinces; the USGS sites four mines on the map

-- Reserves: 55 million metric tons. (Global reserves are estimated at 110 million metric tons, so China has about half.)

-- 40 percent of total production is sold to Japan

-- Owned 97.3 percent of world market in 2010

-- Comparisons: Production in 2006 was 119,000 metric tons; 130,000 in 2010

-- Exports in 2006 were 61,560 tons; in 2010 it was 30,259

-- Exports in 2011 were 18,600 tons and this year's projection is 13,300

-- Bear Lodge site in Wyoming is predicted to produce 10,000 metric tons by 2016

-- Mountain Pass is predicted to produce 8,000 to 10,000 metric tons this year, which will increase to 19,000 tons in 2013 and escalate to 40,000 tons per year by mid-2013, market demand permitting.

Japan

Japan bought 82 percent of its rare earths from China in 2010. Searching this year for its own rare earths, a seabed exploration near Minamitorishima island about 1,200 miles east of Tokyo uncovered a major deposit estimated at 6.8 million tons. That would be enough to supply Japan's manufacturing needs for about 227 years.

Japan also announced a partnership this year with Vietnam, giving it exploration rights for rare-earth minerals in the Southeast Asia nation's northwest province of Lai Chau.

India

Until the mid-20th century, much of the world's rare earths came from the sands of India's coastline, and mines are still located there. Facing hard competition from China, India Rare Earths Ltd. mine operations on India's southwest coast in Kerala state was shuttered in 2004. India has now rebounded; the Chavara mine has made India the world's second-largest supplier of rare earths, though it produces only a fraction of China's volume.

Current projects include the construction of a rare-earths processing plant in the eastern state of Orissa. It was expected to begin operations in September, but hasn't. Two Indian exploration vessels have been prospecting in the seabed off the country's southern coast.

Despite current production and future promise, global investors are concerned about government corruption and copious red tape.

-- Reserves: 2.7 million metric tons

-- Production in 2011 was 2,700 metric tons, a level expected to continue through 2016

Russia

The Lovozero rare-earth mine has been producing for decades. The challenge, investors say, has been to bring the industry into Russia's current capitalistic system from its previous communist business plan - that is, they need to make a profit without government backing. To that end, Russian mining companies are actively seeking new rare-earth opportunities worldwide, with both mines and refineries as possible investments.

-- Reserves: 19 million metric tons

-- Production in 2011: Unknown

Canada

Drilling began two years ago at Thor Lake in the Northwest Territories, possibly the largest rare-earth deposit in the world and one noted for heavy rare earths including terbium and dysprosium. The operation, many years and more than a billion dollars from actualization, is isolated - it's some 40 miles by water from Yellowknife, capital of the Northwest Territories.

There are potential deposits at Hoidas Lake, Saskatchewan and Kipawa, Quebec, which has heavy rare earths but no established infrastructure.

Malaysia

A small increase in rare-earth production is expected through 2016, level at about 450 metric tons annually from the Ipoh mine. Home to Lynas Corp.'s mammoth processing facility; output is expected to be 42,000 metric tons per year from Australian mines.

-- Reserves: Minimal

-- Production in 2011: 350 metric tons

Australia

Mines include Dubbo Zirconia in New South Wales, Mount Weld in western Australia (estimated to be a larger deposit than Molycorp's Mountain Pass) and Nolan's Bore in Northern Territory.